Confession

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Most merciful God, we confess
that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by
what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not
loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors
as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the
sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us;
that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the
glory of your Name. Amen.

Almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen
us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us
in eternal life. Amen.

Versicle and Response

Lord, open our lips.

And our mouth shall proclaim your praise.
Glory to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit,

Alleluia.
Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us; *
therefore let us keep the feast,
Not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, *
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Alleluia.
Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; *
death no longer has dominion over him.
The death that he dies, he dies to sin, once for all; *
but the life he lives, he lives to God.
So also consider yourselves dead to sin, *
and alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia.
Christ has been raised from the dead, *
the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
For since by a man came death, *
by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, *
so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Alleluia.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever.

Antiphon

The Psalm

1Hear, O Shepherd of Israel, leading Joseph like a flock; *
shine forth, you that are enthroned upon the cherubim.

2In the presence of Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh, *
stir up your strength and come to help us.

3Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

4O LORD God of hosts, *
how long will you be angered
despite the prayers of your people?

5You have fed them with the bread of tears; *
you have given them bowls of tears to drink.

6You have made us the derision of our neighbors, *
and our enemies laugh us to scorn.

7Restore us, O God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

8You have brought a vine out of Egypt; *
you cast out the nations and planted it.

9You prepared the ground for it; *
it took root and filled the land.

10The mountains were covered by its shadow *
and the towering cedar trees by its boughs.

11You stretched out its tendrils to the Sea *
and its branches to the River.

12Why have you broken down its wall, *
so that all who pass by pluck off its grapes?

13The wild boar of the forest has ravaged it, *
and the beasts of the field have grazed upon it.

14Turn now, O God of hosts, look down from heaven;
behold and tend this vine; *
preserve what your right hand has planted.

15They burn it with fire like rubbish; *
at the rebuke of your countenance let them perish.

16Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand, *
and son of man you have made so strong for yourself.

17And so will we never turn away from you; *
give us life, that we may call upon your Name.

18Restore us, O LORD God of hosts; *
show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved.

Gloria Patri

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen. Amen.

The Lessons

The Old Testament Reading

Leviticus 25:35-55

35If any of your kin fall into difficulty and become dependent on you, you shall support them; they shall live with you as though resident aliens. 36Do not take interest in advance or otherwise make a profit from them, but fear your God; let them live with you. 37You shall not lend them your money at interest taken in advance, or provide them food at a profit. 38I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God.

39If any who are dependent on you become so impoverished that they sell themselves to you, you shall not make them serve as slaves. 40They shall remain with you as hired or bound labourers. They shall serve with you until the year of the jubilee. 41Then they and their children with them shall be free from your authority; they shall go back to their own family and return to their ancestral property. 42For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves are sold. 43You shall not rule over them with harshness, but shall fear your God. 44As for the male and female slaves whom you may have, it is from the nations around you that you may acquire male and female slaves. 45You may also acquire them from among the aliens residing with you, and from their families that are with you, who have been born in your land; and they may be your property. 46You may keep them as a possession for your children after you, for them to inherit as property. These you may treat as slaves, but as for your fellow Israelites, no one shall rule over the other with harshness.

47If resident aliens among you prosper, and if any of your kin fall into difficulty with one of them and sell themselves to an alien, or to a branch of the aliens family, 48after they have sold themselves they shall have the right of redemption; one of their brothers may redeem them, 49or their uncle or their uncles son may redeem them, or anyone of their family who is of their own flesh may redeem them; or if they prosper they may redeem themselves. 50They shall compute with the purchaser the total from the year when they sold themselves to the alien until the jubilee year; the price of the sale shall be applied to the number of years: the time they were with the owner shall be rated as the time of a hired labourer. 51If many years remain, they shall pay for their redemption in proportion to the purchase price; 52and if few years remain until the jubilee year, they shall compute thus: according to the years involved they shall make payment for their redemption. 53As a labourer hired by the year they shall be under the aliens authority, who shall not, however, rule with harshness over them in your sight. 54And if they have not been redeemed in any of these ways, they and their children with them shall go free in the jubilee year. 55For to me the people of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Canticle 9 The First Song of Isaiah Isaiah 12:2-6 Ecce, Deus

Surely, it is God who saves me; *
I will trust in him and not be afraid.

For the Lord is my stronghold and my sure defense, *
and he will be my Savior.

Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing *
from the springs of salvation.

And on that day you shall say, *
Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his Name;

Make his deeds known among the peoples; *
see that they remember that his Name is exalted.

Sing the praises of the Lord, for he has done great things, *
and this is known in all the world.

Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion, ring out your joy, *
for the great one in the midst of you is the Holy One of Israel.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

The New Testament Lesson

Colossians 1:9-14

9For this reason, since the day we heard it, we have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so that you may lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. 11May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Canticle 19 The Song of the Redeemed

Revelation 15:3-4
Magna et mirabilia

O ruler of the universe, Lord God,
great deeds are they that you have done, *
surpassing human understanding.
Your ways are ways of righteousness and truth, *

O King of all the ages
Who can fail to do you homage, Lord
and sing the praises of your Name
for you only are the Holy One.

All nations will draw near and fall down before you
because your just and holy works have been revealed.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

The Gospel

Matthew 13:1-16

1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. 2Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3And he told them many things in parables, saying: Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9Let anyone with ears listen!

10Then the disciples came and asked him, Why do you speak to them in parables? 11He answered, To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 13The reason I speak to them in parables is that seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand. 14With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
You will indeed listen, but never understand,
and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
15 For this peoples heart has growndull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn
and I would heal them.
16But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

The Commemoration

Harriet Starr Cannon (May 7, 1823--Apr. 5, 1896) was the first superior of the Sisters of St. Mary, one of the the first orders of Anglican nuns.

She was born in Charleston, SC, of parents who had moved there from Connecticut. They died when she was just a year old, so she and her older sister grew up in Bridgeport, Conn., where they lived with relatives. Her sister married and moved to California, and Harriet made plans to move there also, but on the eve of her planned departure, she received word that her sister had died. This crisis was resolved the following year, in 1856, when she joined the Sisters of the Holy Communion in New York, an Episcopal order of deaconesses recently founded by William Augustus Muhlenberg and Anne Ayres. After a few years there, she grew to desire more spirituality in the order, in addition to the work among the poor. So she and a few others left to form a new order, the Sisters of St. Mary.

The order was formally founded in 1865 and was dedicated both to prayer and service. Their initial primary areas of service were St. Mary's Free Hospital for Poor Children and the House of Mercy, a home for "wayward" girls and young women. This latter endeavour, after it moved to larger quarters in what is now Inwood Park in Manhattan in 1891, primarily housed girls sent there by the courts for indefinite sentences, and was no stranger to controversy.

The Sisters also established a number of schools around the country, and were the "Martyrs of Memphis" during a yellow fever epidemic there. The order expanded rapidly, numbering over 100 by the time of Sr. Harriet's death, in 1896.

In its early days, the order was strongly supported by Morgan Dix, rector of Trinity Church, New York, who wrote a short biography of Sr. Harriet at the time of her death.

written by James Kiefer

Prayer

Gracious God, you called Mother Harriet and her companions to revive the religious life in the Episcopal Church by founding the religious community of St. Mary, and to dedicate their lives to you: Grant that, after their example, we may ever surrender ourselves to the revelation of your holy will; through our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

The Creed

The Apostle's Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his
only son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

The Prayers

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.

Suffrages

Show us your mercy, O Lord;

And grant us your salvation.

Clothe your ministers with righteousness;

Let your people sing with joy.

Give peace, O Lord, in all the world;

For only in you can we live in safety.

Lord, keep this nation under your care;

And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

Let your way be known upon earth;

Your saving health among all nations.

Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten;

Nor the hope of the poor be taken away.

Create in us clean hearts, O God;

And sustain us with your Holy Spirit.

Collect of the Day: The Sixth Sunday in Easter

O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good
things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such
love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above
all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we
can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

For Mission

O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The World Cycle of Prayer

The Ecumenical Cycle of Prayer

A Collect for Peace

O God, the author of peace and lover of concord, to know you is eternal life and to serve you is perfect freedom: Defend us, your humble servants, in all assaults of our enemies; that we, surely trusting in your defense, may not fear the power of any adversaries; through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For All Sorts and Conditions

O God, the creator and preserver of all, we humbly beseech you for all sorts and conditions of people; that you would be pleased to make your ways known unto them, your saving health unto all nations. More especially we pray for your holy Church universal; that it may be so guided and governed by your good Spirit, that all who profess and call themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth, and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Finally, we commend to your fatherly goodness all those who are in any ways afflicted or distressed, in mind, body, or estate; that it may please you to comfort and relieve them according to their several necessities, giving them patience under their sufferings, and a happy issue out of all their afflictions. And this we beg for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen.

For the Poor and Neglected

Almighty and most merciful God, we remember before you all poor and neglected persons whom it would be easy for us to forget: the homeless and the destitute, the old and the sick, and all who have none to care for them. Help us to heal those who are broken in body or spirit, and to turn their sorrow into joy. Grant this, Father, for the love of your Son, who for our sake became poor, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For Those Who Live Alone

Almighty God, whose Son had nowhere to lay his head: Grant that those who live alone may not be lonely in their solitude, but that, following in his steps, they may find fulfillment in loving you and their neighbors; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Hymn: For the beauty of the Earth

For the beauty of the Earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful of praise.

For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful of praise.

For the joy of ear and eye,
for the heart and mind's delight,
for the mystic harmony
linking sense to sound and sight,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful of praise.

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth, and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful of praise.

For each perfect gift of thine
to our race so freely given,
graces human and divine,
flowers of earth and buds of heaven,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful of praise.

A Prayer of Self-Dedication

Almighty and eternal God, so draw our hearts to you, so
guide our minds, so fill our imaginations, so control our wills, that we
may be wholly yours, utterly dedicated unto you; and then use us, we pray
you, as you will, and always to your glory and the welfare of your people;
through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

General Thanksgiving

Almighty
God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you
humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us
and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation,
preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all
for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our
Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of
glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies,
that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise,
not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves
to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness
all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you
and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

A Prayer of St.
Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us
grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication
to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that
when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be
in the midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions
as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of
your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

The Ending

Benediction

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Romans 15:13

Hymn: God Be With You

God be with you till we meet again;
By his counsels guide, uphold you;
With his sheep securely fold you.
God be with you till we meet again.
Till we meet, till we meet,
Till we meet at Jesus' feet,
Till we meet, till we meet,
God be with you till we meet again.